BROMELIADS OBTAINED BY HYBRIDISATION. sel 
impossible—and it requires a great deal of patience and attention so as 
to avail oneself of the opportune moment to convey to the female organ 
the pollen, which is scarcely ever in a state to effect the fertilisation. It 
is very desirable to fully determine the nature of Bromeliads and their 
relation to one another; for in hybridising and sowing the nurseryman 
certainly finishes by acquiring considerable skill, and he therefore acts 
with a sort of special gift which leads him to suppose that such or such 
a species can be fertilised by another. But often a great deal of time 
is wasted in vain attempts, owing to scientists not agreeing on the correct 
genus of the plants. 
The following example will serve to show what I mean. There is a 
very fine plant called Vriesea magnifica. It is supposed that this plant is 
the result of a cross between Caraguata Zahnii and Vriesea splendens. 
It is, indeed, at first sight quite intermediate between the two parents; 
but Caraguatas, are they or are they not Caraguatas? Or if they are, 
how can their being fertilised with the Vrieseas of the Splendens type 
be explained, seeing that the Vriesea splendens themselves are difficult 
to cross with other Vrieseas? I leave it to others to explain these 
things, for up to the present, in spite of my efforts and numerous trials, 
I have been unable to obtain anything between Caraguata Zahnii and 
Caraguata lingulata, nor with Caraguata cardinalis; and yet they are 
true Caraguatas. 
I could quote other curious cases of fertilisation, introducing sur- 
prises of a nature to puzzle or delight the sower. An excellent cross was 
effected by a nurseryman of Versailles—M. Lemaitre—on Vriesea 
hieroglyphica with our Vriesea cardinalis, which confirmed my views in 
every respect, as the result—Vriesea mirabilis—is a plant having a large 
spike, bifurcated into several parts and highly coloured with red. There, 
again, the female plant acted as regards the general form and habit and 
the male as regards colour. The pretty markings of Vriesea hieroglyphica 
disappeared altogether in Vriesea mirabilis. The foliage of Vriesea 
cardinalis being of a very light green, is that not another proof of the 
influence of the male plant in the colouration ? 
In order not to unnecessarily lengthen this paper 1 may sum up by 
saying that the field concerning Bromeliaceous plants is a very extensive 
one, and I could quote examples without number in support of the 
points I have advanced in connection with the influence of the male 
parent. I have drawn up a table which will assist in proving this point, 
and will also show the part I have contributed towards obtaining orna- 
mental Bromeliads. Trade has its requirements, and the nurseryman, 
if he would not be left behind, must continually be on the look-out for 
plants possessing capacity for the extension of both the range of colour 
and also of ornamental effect, things which imported plants do not 
always possess. His endeavour should be to improve them to such an 
extent, both in brilliancy of colour and in beauty of foliage, that at last 
he succeeds in producing absolutely faultless plants. What is the 
determined object which every true cultivator pursues? ‘To create plants 
more beautiful than even Nature herself has produced ? Certainly not—for 
Nature is the greatest of artists, and man can only assist her admirable 
work. Nevertheless, it is given us to satisfy the demands of trade by 
